A navigation apparatus in a vehicle contributes to effective and safe driving of a user with the following process: detecting a current position using GPS (Global Positioning System) during the driving; displaying the detected current position on a display apparatus; designating an optimum route from the current position to a destination; and navigating along the optimum route using the display apparatus or sound output apparatus.
A method of inputting a destination to designate a route includes an address input where a prefecture, a city, and a house number are hierarchically selected; a genre input where a genre such as a tourist resort, an amusement part, or a public facility is selected and an individual point is then selected; and a surrounding facility search where one of facilities surrounding a destination is selected and an individual point is then selected. These input methods are displayed in a menu as a list for a user to select an intended operation item.
In the navigation apparatus, a method of displaying a map can be also selected. The method includes a mode where an advancing direction is always upside; a mode where the north is always upside, and a mode where a three-dimensional map is displayed. These modes or methods are also displayed in a menu as a list for a user to select an intended mode.
To select an intended operation item or the like, the following is operated in an order.
(i) Call up a list of menus (highest layer MA) (FIG. 21A to FIG. 21B)
(ii) Select an intended menu (FIG. 21B to FIG. 21C)
(iii) Select an intended operation item form the menu to execute
As shown in FIG. 21B, each menu is hierarchically stored under the highest-layer menu MA, which is needed to be called up each time an operation item is executed. It is preferred that an intended menu is directly called up or selected without the highest-layer menu MA called up.
A navigation apparatus recently uses an input operation apparatus (or input manipulation apparatus) such as a rotary switch or joy-stick, which is capable of inputting an operation direction or an operation amount, in addition to an input operation apparatus with pressing or touching type such as a switch or touch panel. Patent Document 1 describes a navigation apparatus using a rotary switch: rotating the rotary switch causes a map or menu to be scrolled. Patent Document 2 describes a navigation apparatus using a multi-directional switch (joy-stick).
An input operation apparatus such as a rotary switch or joy-stick allows an input with rotating operation, or tilting operation, which provides user-friendliness. An easy-to-use navigation apparatus has been developed by adopting a rotary switch or joy-stick. Furthermore, not limited to a navigation apparatus, a rotary switch or joy-stick has been preferably used for a handheld terminal, an electric appliance, a personal computer, etc.    Patent Document 1: JP-H11-305657 A    Patent Document 2: JP-2004-271613 A